Pvt. Robt. Gimbel
U.S. ########
29th Eng. Topo Sur.
85th Eng. Boat Co.
APD 928 %Postmaster
San Francisco, California
Dear Mom and Dad,
I received your letter yesterday and was very glad to hear from you.
We got here Wednesday.
Now we are processing. They assigned me to the 85th Boat Co.
This whole outfit is the 29 Engineers Topographic Battalion. They are making maps of the Philippine Islands and the Boat Co. furnishes the transportation.
I hear that sometimes they go on a cruise for 3 or 4 months. That would be kind of interesting.
The camp is the same as any of the others. The usual activities. The barracks are all quansits and they are screened in and fixed quite nice.
We have House Boys (Filipino) that pull our K.P., Guard, clean the barracks, make the bunks, polish our brass, boots, shoes and as much laundry as we want done twice a week, and all this cost only $6.00 a month.
Pretty good, huh!
At the personnel office they told me they would send us all home 30 days prior to discharge. So about December 5, I'll be on my way back home. Which means I'll miss Christmas next year, but looking forward toward a discharge is just as good.
The Philippine money is Peso, there's 2 Peso for 1 American dollar. There coin money is Centavos, there's 100 of them in a Peso. Our dollar is just worth twice as much as there's.
We get paid in script, which is to be used on the Post only. When we go to town we have to change as much as we plan to spend into Peso. There's a hitch though, after a guy gets it into Peso, he either spends it or saves it as it can't be changed for script. It's a little confusing at first.
I am on to it now though.
They said there a few communist spy's that want the American dollars and if a guy gets caught peddling it, it's too bad for him, but it is worth 1 and a half more if a guy wanted to take the risk.
Well, I am glad you all had a nice Christmas, and I hear there's a lot of snow.
I'll write later.
Lots of Love,
Bob
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